OTP: I cradled you in my arms! Klance
by crossmyheart1207
Summary: A collection of one-shots/drabbles/fics for my two most favorite space boys! Some fics may relate to each other.
1. Chapter 1

Keith was no stranger to wounds, but he had never hurt the way he hurt now. There was an ache in his chest; a hole so large that he felt like he could fit the entire universe inside of it. It didn't hurt like a flesh wound, it hurt in a way that made him feel like his bones were slowly splintering under the weight of it and soon–well, soon he wouldn't be able to withstand it anymore.

Since he had come back, he had done his best to take back his place as the head of Voltron. The team accepted him back with unwavering loyalty and it meant a lot to him. Slowly he sought out each person on the team to set things right with them and to make amends for the way he had left. Well, every person except one.

He hadn't yet been able to bring himself to face Lance. In fact, he had been going out of his way to avoid seeing Lance; going so far as to eat on his own, hours after dinner, so he wouldn't have to sit next to him at the table.

When it came to Lance, the hole in his chest yawned open, swallowing him whole. He couldn't even look at Lance without feeling like he had lost the ability to breathe. It hurt in a way he never could have imagined, watching Lance just exist and having to keep his distance.

Lance would do the tiniest of things–make a silly offhand comment or smile at literally anything–and Keith would be overwhelmed with love for the boy. Anything and everything Lance did filled Keith with the urge to scream out just how much he loved the boy. But he couldn't. So instead, he avoided Lance.

Everyone except Lance had tried to talk to him about it; Pidge the most. She was insistent that they just needed to talk and things would be better, but Keith was adamant that he could not do that. Because he couldn't talk to Lance, not without spilling his secret and ruining things between them for good. He just needed time.

Time to figure out how to live with his feelings. That's it.

And yet, he had his doubts. He had nothing but time–two years of it!–while traveling with his mom and Cosmo and that had done nothing to dull his love for Lance. In fact, that was when the ache in his chest had really begun. The distance between them got under his skin, making him feel like he was being pulled in a million directions, reaching, always reaching for wherever Lance was. There are few things he wouldn't have given in those two years to have Lance back, making snide remarks at him.

"Hey man," Lance's voice was soft in the evening air. Keith swallowed, steeling himself against the emotions filling his chest. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, what's up?" He knew he couldn't turn Lance away, and he didn't want to. His heart had been yearning for Lance for so long, he'd forgotten what it's like to want anything else. Every time he saw Lance laughing, he wished he were the cause. When he saw Lance's eyes light up, he wished more than anything else that it were directed at him.

But for Lance's own good, he had to get these feelings under control. He was doing well for a long time–he had figured out how to be friends with Lance and be okay with that. But then, when things got real and they faced death on the regular and Keith had to accept the possibility that he might lose Lance, well, that's when he stopped having any control.

"I just…" Lance stopped next to him but didn't look at him. Instead he rubbed the back of his head, "Listen man, I just wanted you to know that–that I really missed you while you were gone. And I'm really glad you're back."

For a moment, Keith was sure his heart had split open. He reached a hand up to touch his chest just to be sure. The emotions flowing through him were so strong he felt like they were a tidal wave that was going to pull him out to sea. If he didn't get it under control soon, there would be no way for him to control what he said next. His throat felt raw as he responded, the tiniest glimpse of the truth. "I missed you too, Lance."

He expected Lance to retort with something like 'could've fooled me', but he didn't. Instead he turned to meet Keith's gaze directly, his expression vulnerable. "Don't leave again, okay? I can't–I can't take being away from you like that. I was worried sick. Every day, wondering–"

The tidal wave of emotions knocked Keith off his feet and took control. He didn't even register what he was doing as he grabbed Lance's face and pulled him into a fierce kiss.

He couldn't explain how he felt as their lips met. Like he was living his wildest daydream? But when Lance responded by snaking a hand into his hair and pulling his face even closer, he was absolutely certain he had died and gone to heaven.

"Keith," They broke apart for air and Lance was looking at him with this stupid, dopey grin on his face. The overwhelming feeling of love filled Keith again. He didn't have anything left in him but love, he couldn't even fear what Lance's response was going to be. "Is that what all this has been about?"

"I–" Keith wanted to say no. That he, the leader of Voltron, savior of the universe, was more in control and hadn't been held hostage to his feelings for years. But he couldn't lie. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"What was I supposed to say, Lance?"

"Oh, I don't know," Lance broke out in his infamous smile, lowering his voice to mimic Keith, "you could've said something like: 'Oh Lance, you're so handsome, and such a skilled sharpshooter! I'm so lucky to be by your side!'"

"I do not sound like that," Keith retorted, but he, too, was smiling.

"Oh, what about: 'Lance, when I look in your gorgeous eyes, I just get completely lost.'?"

"Definitely not."

"Or–"

"How about this?" Keith cut him off and Lance sobered up for a moment, meeting his gaze. "Lance, I love you. And I should've said it ages ago because it's been true for a long, long time."

"Y-yeah," Lance was clearly getting choked up at the words and it was probably the cutest thing Keith has ever seen in his life. "That works too."

"I'm sorry I left the way I did. The truth," the whole truth. The one he hadn't said to anyone and wasn't planning on ever saying to anyone, "is that I couldn't handle being around you. There were so many things I wanted and didn't think I could have. If I didn't get my feelings under control, we were going to lose the ability to form Voltron and I couldn't risk that. So I left to try and get a grip."

"And did you?"

A wry smile, "Obviously not."

"Why couldn't you just tell me? Like, I get it man, you're not much of a _feelings_ guy and you're definitely not much of a talker, but even you have to appreciate that sometimes a conversation just has to be had."

"I mean, sure," Keith turned to look at the sky again, "But I could already see how it was going to play out. I confess, you say you love Allura and I leave anyways to try and get those emotions under control. Either way I left."

"Or," Lance placed a hand on his shoulder. Keith flashed back to all the times Lance had done this. All the times Lance had pulled him out of his crazy ideas or reckless paths. If there was one person he could always count on to fix things–to make him feel better, it was Lance. "You would confess to me and I would throw myself at you, saying that I've waited ages to hear you say that and we would, you know, ride off into the sunset or whatever."

"Funny," Keith says, "Because I'm pretty sure I already confessed and none of that happened."

"Well, I guess you'll just have to say it again!"

Keith choked, turning to look incredulously at Lance beside him. "What? No way!"

"Keith, come on! We have to do this right!"

"It's your fault that it wasn't done right the first time! I did my part!"

It took a moment for Keith to realize that the hole in his chest was gone. Their bickering, their proximity, his truth, all of it had done the impossible–it had made him complete again. He no longer ached with an unreciprocated love (even if Lance hadn't said it back yet). Instead, he felt–finally–like he fit in his own skin. For the first time in years he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be, doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing.

Lance had turned away in an overdramatic pout, his lower lip jutting out as he crossed his arms over his chest. Keith sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Fine," he mumbled. Lance spun around, the award winning smile back on his face and Keith took a deep breath, steeling himself to confess his love for a _second_ time. Honestly, only Lance could make him do something like this. "Lance, I love you."

" _Oh, Keith_ ," Lance leant back dramatically, an arm delicately covering his eyes. Keith had a split second where he considered strapping Lance to the nearest ship and shooting him out into space. Instead, Lance laughed and straightened up. He placed a hand on Keith's cheek, his thumb tracing the scar he had gotten from clone Shiro's sword. Their eyes locked. "I love you, too." Lance said seriously, his voice a soft whisper, "And I also should have told you ages ago."

The gentle hand on his cheek pulled him forward until their lips met again. Keith took a moment to thank whatever higher power there was in the universe for this moment. He never, ever would have thought he would be here, now, with his feelings not only out in the open, but returned.

"And I _have_ been waiting forever to hear that, you know." Lance whispered into the space between them. "I mean, you've had plenty of chances to confess before now."

"Oh, well excuse me for missing them." Keith shoved Lance and they both laughed. "At least I confessed first. That means I win."

Keith tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and started to walk inside, a smug smile on his face.

"Hey, no fair!" Lance ran after him, catching up to him in a few strides. They bumped shoulders as they fell in step with each other.

For the first night in what had to be years, Keith felt like he was ready to go to sleep. There were no more hidden feelings eating away at him. No more analyzing every situation, convincing himself to give up hope on Lance. Nothing to keep him awake until the early hours of the morning.

"So," Lance broke him out of his thought, "We're really doing this then? The whole thing?"

"Yeah," Keith said, and his heart swelled, "We really are."

"Great!" They stopped where the hallway split. Lance's room was to the left, Keith's to the right. "I'll just go change and meet you in your room. Or would you prefer my room?" Keith raised an eyebrow at him. "What? You've made me wait this long, I'm not waiting any longer. I demand cuddles."

"My room," Keith said, and he could feel the stupid grin on his face as he replied.

Lance leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his lips before taking off down the hallway, "See you in a few!"

Keith took a deep breath as he walked back to his room, the smile still on his lips. For the first time, the future felt possible. It felt like something he could and should look forward to. For the first time, he wouldn't be going back to a room filled with his daydreams. Instead he would be sharing it with the love of his life and he absolutely couldn't wait.


	2. If I can't Love Him

_His birthday is July 28th. He likes yellow cake best, but will eat anything_

Keith wanders the empty castle hallways in the middle of the night, too plagued by his thoughts and fears to even consider sleeping. He's a lot of things-stubborn, hot-headed and closed-off to name a few-but he is not dumb. He sees the way Lance looks at Allura.

 _He will do anything for you without you asking, so you have to be sure to do things for him, too. Remind him to eat when he's caught up in something. Encourage him to sleep. He will take care of your every need, but he will neglect himself in the process._

It stung-more than stung, actually. It hurt in a way that made Keith feel like his insides had turned into a black hole-bottomless and draining him of every positive feeling. He would never stand in the way, of course, no matter how much he loved Lance. And oh, did he love that boy. His soul ached for Lance; for the way Lance truly _saw_ him and didn't judge. It ached for the way Lance understood him. His body ached for the weight of that familiar hand on his shoulder, grounding him and guiding him simultaneously; reminding him that he didn't have to face things alone.

 _He doesn't like tomatoes, but he's too polite to complain. He sleeps on his side, legs pulled to his chest and arms jammed under his pillow as if, even in rest, he cannot truly relax._

Just the thought of Lance was enough to send Keith into overdrive, propelling him out of bed in the middle of the night. It was enough to leave him feeling as if someone had ripped his insides out and forgotten to replace them with something else, leaving him a hollow shell of a person. Thinking of Lance made Keith want to track down the nearest Galra ship and take it on himself because surely that demise had to be less painful than the slow death he faced every day seeing Lance's smile directed at somebody other than him.

 _He would never admit it out loud, but he likes to sleep on the side of the bed furthest from the door. It makes him feel more secure. Which works fine for me because I-_

 _I-_

Keith stops in front of one of the long windows and stares out into space. He's explored the universe pretty extensively at this point-he knows how big it is-and yet somehow he feels like there is nowhere he can go that would put enough distance between the two of them. His feelings for Lance would prevail, always, unfailingly. Because that's what love was.

"I love him," Keith says quietly to himself, testing out the way the words taste on his tongue. Bitter, he realizes. But then again, that's what he expected.

 _He needs someone to love him more than they love themselves because that is the kind of love he will give in return. He is the moon and the sun-all the light and radiance in the entire universe-and he deserves to be treated as such. If I can't love him, at least I can do this: I can bare his soul to you so that you, the lucky one, are able to love him right._

He places a hand gingerly against the glass window, feeling the coldness of it against his skin. Quietly he repeats himself, wishing that words could fill the void. "I love him."

He doesn't notice the sound of the footsteps until they're too close-close enough that they definitely heard what he said. He sighs, resigned to his fate long before he hears the familiar voice ask "Who do you love?"

 _Never let his selfless acts go unnoticed. He will not ask for your appreciation, but he deserves it. Never fail to notice how gentle his touch is or how he always knows the right thing to say._

Keith doesn't turn to look at Lance. He couldn't bare it. Just imagining Lance with sleep-mussed hair, lidded eyes and rumpled pajamas was enough to make Keith want to launch himself into space. Seeing it in person might finally give him the courage to actually do so. "It doesn't matter."

"I dunno, man, that sounds pretty important."

 _You won't ever notice his attention on anyone other than you. You've won his heart and that means you get everything he has to offer. Every glorious, amazing aspect of him is now yours._

Turning away from the window, Keith keeps his eyes down. "It's not," he scuffs his boot on the tile, hands fidgeting in front of him. He hates how nervous it makes him seem. "What are you doing up?"

"I heard your footsteps pass my room," He answers honestly, his voice strangely raw. Keith didn't think the hole in his chest could get any larger and yet it does, creating a pressure that makes him feel like his chest is being pried open rib-by-rib. "And I've heard you the last couple of nights, too. I'm getting worried."

 _Don't think you can ever fool him, because you can't. He's very perceptive and much smarter than people give him credit for. He will pick up on things you think nobody sees._

"I'm fine," Keith says. But he's not fine and he doesn't sound fine and he knows it.

Lance draws his eyebrows together. "Keith, buddy…"

Keith turns back to the window, wishing it would open up now and vault him into space. Maybe he should find out if there's somewhere in the universe he can hide. And yet somehow, the prospect of not seeing Lance at all hurts more than seeing him every day and never being able to have him.

"Talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Lance?" His tone isn't sharp. If anything, his words are feeble-barely filling the space between them before shriveling up and disappearing.

 _He is persistent. He will stay on you until you relent and then, once you crack, once you cave-he is there to pick up the pieces and put you back together._

Lance takes a step forward, placing a hand on the back of Keith's shoulder. Keith closes his eyes and takes in a sharp breath, willing himself to not let this mean so much to him. He fails. "The truth?"

The hand on his shoulder pulls, gently, until Keith turns around. They're standing face-to-face, eye-to-eye, and just like that, Keith shatters. He feels himself break into a million pieces and scatter across the universe, each shard of him reflecting a moment of their past, showing him all the reasons he's so in love with Lance.

Their bonding moment, Lance saving him from the Galra, Lance accepting him, unwaveringly, as the new leader of Voltron…

All the memories fill Keith, giving him the courage to finally speak. It was now or never, make or break. Honestly he didn't care what the outcome was as long as it was finally resolved. He just needed to _know_ , once and for all so he could _finally_ give up the hope. He just needed to be put out of his misery.

"You really want to know who I'm in love with?" Keith asks and Lance nods. A deep breath. Closing his eyes, Keith prepares to break his own heart. "It's you, Lance. I'm in love with you."

There is a silence the length of two heartbeats. Keith counts because he can feel his heart beating in his throat, making it harder to breathe. Two heartbeats and then…

"Well that makes this a lot easier," Lance whispers, his breath warm on Keith's face. Not even a moment later there are lips on his.

 _He will complete you. He will fill all the gaps in you, making you feel like a whole person. He will make you feel invincible. Like you can take on the world with him in your corner. He will light up all your days. I know this because…_

 _I know this because…_

After their kiss ends, Keith can't bring himself to open his eyes. They are watery and he'll be damned if he cries in front of Lance. Even if he did just confess his love. Carefully, he says "What are you doing?"

"Surely you know what a kiss is," Lance teases.

"But why me? Why are you kissing _me_ when it should be _Allura?_ "

Lance's hand rests against Keith's chest. He's acutely aware of the fact that he's wearing only a t-shirt and he can feel the outline of Lance's hand in precise detail. He is certain Lance can feel his thundering heart but he doesn't mention it. Instead he says "Most people are happy when the person they confess their love to returns their feelings, you know."

Keith takes a jagged breath, his heart still rapidly beating in his throat. "You-?"

"I don't know where you got your ideas," Lance leans in and Keith can't help it anymore. He opens his eyes and is immediately stricken at how open and honest Lance looks. How vulnerable. A moment before their lips meet again, Lance whispers into the night, filling Keith's inner black hole, "but it's always been you and only you."

 _I know this because he lights up my life. He completes me. He grounds me when I need it and picks me up when I'm down. I know this because I know him-I am so lucky to say that I know him. And I love him._

 _I love him the way he deserves to be loved._

 _I love him like nobody else ever can._


	3. Flirting

Keith was a self-proclaimed lone-wolf. He didn't often seek the company of others. But that had changed since he had gotten to know Lance. Somehow that boy had slipped right past every defense he had and nestled his way straight into Keith's heart. For a few months now, Keith had been working on how to tell Lance how he felt. He had started trying to be more obvious–seeking Lance out on his own, confiding in him–things he would normally never do. And yet, somehow, Lance still didn't seem to be getting the idea.

So, Keith had decided, no matter how awkward he felt, to try and speak Lance's language, hoping he would finally understand.

"Hey Lance," Keith said as they were sitting at the counter in the kitchen one day, their lunch in front of them. Hunk and Pidge were huddled around the sink. "Do you know what you have in common with this soup? Or with ice cream?"

Lance looks up, surprised but seeming thrilled. He, of course, can recognize a pickup line from a mile away and the look on his face suggests that he's wants nothing more than to hear this played out. "What?"

"You're all things I want to spoon." Keith finishes, trying to flash the flirty smile Lance always has at the end of a line.

Pidge clamps a hand over her mouth, trying her best to stifle the sound of her laughter but it doesn't work. She loses herself to the surprise of it and Hunk starts chuckling along with her. Lance, for his part, just looks impressed.

—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.

A few days later they're ambling around a nearby planet. Lance and Keith had opted to go out together in search of food while the others stayed with the locals.

"Wait!" Lance halted, throwing an arm out to his side. Keith stopped suddenly, centimeters from ramming into Lance's outstretched arms. "Are those apples?"

Keith turned a smug look on his counterpart, "We're literal _lightyears_ away from Earth. I don't think they have apples out here."

"Then how do you explain _those_?" Lance pointed at a nearby tree where there were little red fruits hanging from the branches.

Before Keith could reply, Lance took off, scaling the tree easily. He reached the higher branches and painstakingly stalked down the thin branches, reaching a hand out in front of him. Just as his fingers came in contact with the apple-like fruit, his foot slipped and he tumbled towards the ground.

He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact that never really came. Instead of smashing into the ground, his fall was broken by Keith who had managed to get underneath him in time to catch him.

"You know," Keith said as he steadied them, "You can fall from the sky, you can fall from a tree, but the best way to fall is to fall in love with me."

Lance could feel the fire in his cheeks as he scrambled to break free from Keith's grasp.

—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.

They had finally had the chance to enjoy a day off. An entire day where they hadn't even touched their Lions. Keith had, of course, spent this day training. He was relishing in the way he had been able to fluster Lance lately. He wasn't sure his point was getting across the way he wanted it to, but he couldn't deny that he was having fun with it in general.

About halfway through the day, Lance had wandered into the training room, asking if he could join. Keith attributed the increase in his heart rate to the exercise he had been doing, not to the fact that he got to spend more one-on-one time with Lance.

They had finished training for the day and were sitting, back-to-back, in the middle of the training room. It felt nice to just be physically close to Lance. It felt nice to be able to be alone with Lance. Keith was one of those people who preferred solitude and that was still true, but somehow Lance now fit into that solitude.

He was able to be with Lance and not feel any stress or strain. He wasn't socially drained after spending time with Lance. When he wanted to be alone, that didn't mean being away from Lance. There was no aspect of his life that he didn't want Lance included in.

Lance, almost seeming to sense his train of thought, sat up and turned to look at Keith, his eyes bright. "That was some intense training, I'm exhausted."

"Yeah?" Keith said, smiling to himself. He already had the next line ready in his head and he was marveling at how easy it was. "If your hand gets too heavy, I'll be happy to hold it for you."

Lance ducked his head away but Keith noticed the grin and blush gracing his face.

—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.

Half of the way to their next destination, the Red Lion had shut down. Keith had instructed the others to go on and start setting up camp for the night while he flew over to Red to help Lance repair him. The two were floating in space, tethered to Red to keep themselves from floating away.

Lance, frustrated, threw his arms in the air. Keith, in response, decided to lighten the mood and hopefully cheer Lance up a bit. "Hey," he said.

Lance shot him a sidelong glance, "Hey?"

"Even out here with no gravity, I'm still falling for you."

A moment passed before Lance's face split open. A laugh sounded through their coms and it warmed Keith's heart. To his surprise, Lance replied. "Hey Keith? Do you know what I'm wearing?" When he answered with a surprised silence, Lance finished, " The smile you gave me."

Keith couldn't do anything to stifle his response smile.

—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.—.

"We're lost!" Keith sighed exasperatedly, using his bayard to hack off a branch that was blocking their path.

" _I'm_ lost," Lance replied smoothly, stepping forward, "Lost in your eyes, that is."

Startled, Keith turned to look at Lance. Was he finally understanding? The look on Lance's face implied that the answer was yes. Finally. "Yeah?" He said quietly, forgetting completely that they were on a mission and lost in the middle of the woods. "I think you need some vitamin _me._ "

"I think something is wrong with my eyes," Lance took another step forward and reached up, pulling his helmet off of his head and exposing his eyes. "Because I can't take them off of you."

A moment later, Keith pulled his own helmet off his head, eyes trained tentatively on Lance. "You're so beautiful I forgot my pickup line."

Lance's response laugh was everything Keith needed. He let a smile take over his face for a moment before laughing with Lance. The stress of the situation melted away and for a moment they were able to really enjoy each other's company.

"Keith," Lance said after a minute, breathless and wiping at his eyes. "I have really enjoyed these pickup lines lately," He leaned in, just a breath away from Keith, "but there's something I would enjoy more."

Needing no further prompting, Keith closed the miniscule distance between them, pressing his lips against Lance's and letting his eyes fall closed. Lance responded by running a hand up Keith's chest and around his neck, threading his fingers into his hair. Keith wasn't sure he could put into words how much he enjoyed that. His hands slipped around Lance's waist, pulling him closer. Their chests were touching and Keith could almost swear he could feel Lance's heart thundering away alongside his own.

After they pulled apart, they could faintly hear the static in their helmets. Keith picked his up off the ground where he had dropped it without realizing. Lance's was still in his hand. They slipped them on together, just in time to hear Pidge's voice through the speakers, "It's about time you two got together. Now finish making out and hurry up and get back here, we need you."

Everyone laughed.


	4. Home

It was an entirely different experience to sit outside the garrison, looking up at the stars. Lance had floated through the entire universe and yet somehow, this was the most mystical the stars had ever looked to him. The air was cool as it brushed across his face but it didn't matter, he couldn't sleep as it was. He hadn't slept consistently well in years but that was because there was always the constant threat of an attack hanging over his head. Now-well, now he just had too much on his mind.

"Hey."

Lance looked up, startled, to find a disheveled Keith standing above him, his hair mussed and his eyes sleepy. "Hey…" he replied hesitantly.

Keith sat down next to him, leaning his back against one of the towers too, their shoulders only a few inches apart. "What are you doing out here?"

Silenced stretched between them while Lance considered his answer. Keith was the team leader and one of his closest friends. Keith was… special to him. He wanted to be honest with Keith. And yet, since he had come back, Keith had been anything but welcoming to Lance.

"Lance?"

Keith was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Slowly, Lance let out a breath and started to talk. "I thought coming back here would be a dream come true, you know? Coming home after everything we've been through? And it's great to be back and to see my family-really, it's great!"

"But?" Keith prompted, his dark eyes still unwavering.

"But… it doesn't feel like home."

Keith's eyebrows rose in surprise and he opened his mouth to say something but seemed to decide against it. It was the truth, but not the whole truth. What Lance had said was the bones of the truth-the very basic, building blocks of the truth. But it was missing the rest and he felt like he needed to say it. It had been suffocating him for months-or had it been years? Time had gotten all out of sorts.

"At least, it didn't feel like home. Until-until now." Lance stared steadfastly at the stars above them, trying not to even look at Keith out of his peripheral vision. There was a feeling of a weight being lifted off his chest. It was a moment of relief, to have finally said it.

"Lance…" Keith breathed and Lance couldn't stop the way his heart jumped when hearing his name whispered like that.

"I feel like I'm home when I'm with you, Keith. Like you're-like you're my home." He was rambling now, clarifying something that didn't need to be clarified. Keith surely understood what he meant the first time, he didn't need anything extra.

A moment of silence passed before Keith turned to look at the sky, too. "I missed you too, Lance."

This time it was Lance's turn to turn, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You did? You've been so-" Keith turned back and their eyes met. The accusation of him being cold and distant died on Lance's tongue. Even if it were true, he wouldn't guilt Keith about it. "Nevermind."

"I was gone for two years. Do you know what that's like? To spend two years with only one other person? Things change. I changed. And I assumed-" Keith took a shaky breath. He balled his hands into fists and shoved them behind his back. "I assumed the team had moved on. That you had moved on and forgotten me. And I didn't want to…"

"Want to what?" Lance prompted. Somewhere along the way their conversation had turned into a hoarse whisper and it felt strangely intimate. There was all this open space around them and yet it felt so insignificant.

"Hold you back." Keith finished.

Lance felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He wanted to shake Keith. Or maybe to punch him, he wasn't entirely sure. But he knew that he needed to squash that idea immediately. "Keith," His voice was firm and it seemed harsh in the silence of the night, but he pressed on. "You are my team leader. Shiro is great, I love him, but if i had to chose to follow him or follow you, I'd pick you every time." Keith's eyebrows rose again and Lance took a moment to appreciate that he had almost never seen Keith this surprised. "It was two years for you, but only months for us. Months where I spent every day… wishing you were back."

The look on Keith's face turned vulnerable and Lance was surprised to see it. He wasn't sure he had ever seen such honest, soft emotions on Keith's face before. "I'm sorry I have been pushing you away. I want us to be close again." Lance smiled and placed a hand on Keith's shoulder. Keith smiled in response. "So tell me what I missed while I was gone. We can start there and move forward."

"Well, there's the little fact that I died." Lance said offhandedly, still overwhelmed by the emotions between them. He wasn't sure when he had stopped seeing Keith as a rival and started wanting a genuine connection with him, but he couldn't deny he was thrilled that they were having this… bonding moment. He smiled at the thought.

"You _what?_ " Keith sat fully upright, his back coming off the wall of the tower and turned to look at Lance urgently. "You _died?!_ "

"Well, yeah. But I mean, I'm fine… obviously."

They started talking then. Lance explained all the adventures Keith had missed and Keith explained how he had found his mom and where their quest had taken them. It was a lot for them to catch up on, but it felt good. Somewhere along the way, Lance's eyes started to grow heavy. He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as he listened to Keith talk.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Hours later, Lance awoke. He rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. He wa still outside and… there was something under his cheek? He sat upright and turned to his right, only to find Keith, still staring at the stars.

"You're up," Keith said quietly.

"Was I sleeping on your shoulder?" Lance asked, trying to fight off the blush that was rising up his cheeks.

"Yeah," Keith looked at him then and smiled, "You looked peaceful though, so I couldn't bring myself to wake you."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"The truth is, I haven't been sleeping much and, well, that's the best I've slept in years. So… thank you."

Keith stood up and offered a hand to Lance who accepted it. He was hauled to his feet and the two of them were standing face-to-face. Lance had noticed before that Keith had gotten taller, but this really made it apparent. They were eye-to-eye and Lance couldn't help but notice that Keith just looked more mature. It suited him.

"You deserved it." Was all Keith said as they walked inside together.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After another exhausting day of helping rebuild the entirety of Earth, Lance was ready for a break. The rest of the crew had gone to sleep but Lance was on his way outside again, heading to the tower he had been at last night. He was pleasantly surprised to get there and find Keith already sitting there.

"Room for another?" He asked and Keith scooted slightly to the side so Lance could sit easily. "You can't sleep either?"

"I've been thinking about what you said." Keith replied. Lance's heart sank a little. "About me being home to you."

"Yeah?"

Keith turned to look at him, his expression earnest. "Shouldn't you feel that way about Allura, not me? I mean she's-"

"-Cool and all, yeah, she is." Lance interrupted, "But that's it."

"I thought you-"

Lance took a deep breath, steadying himself to say the other thing that had been weighing him down. "I did. But time has shown me that we aren't right for each other. She is amazing, I'll always think that, but she's not what I want anymore. Not like that, at least. I always want to be her friend and in her life."

"I see," Keith said quietly. He appeared to lose himself in thought after this so Lance just stayed silent.

He wasn't sure how long this- _thing_ between them would last; this honesty and openness. He had wanted it for a long time, but never held out much hope that it would actually happen. Keith was the leader of Voltron and Lance was his right hand, both literally and figuratively. It was only right that they laid themselves bare with each other. And yet, they had never done it before and Lance couldn't help but wonder if there were a reason for that.

The silence stayed between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, it was nice to have someone there, sharing the peace and quiet with him. He turned to look at Keith, maybe to express this thought to him, only to see that Keith had dozed off next to him. He smiled to himself and turned back to the stars, somehow feeling even more at peace than he had before.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Both boys jolted awake at the same time. Years of being constantly vigilant and always under the threat of attack had made them both light sleepers. They heard the footsteps nearing them and both were immediately awakened.

Pidge stood over them, smiling to herself as she took pictures of them. They were, much to their dismay, a heap of tangled limbs on the ground. Lance thought back to the night before and realized he must've also fallen asleep leaning against the tower. And somewhere in the middle of the night they… moved? So now they were laying, half on top of each other, half side by side, legs twisted around each other on the ground and the whole base was awake.

Lance shoved a hand under him, right next to Keith's face, and propped himself up. He started to try and untangle their legs but Keith just laid there, not moving. "Quiznak! A little help, please!" Lance cried.

Keith smirked but shook his head. Lance tried again to untangle their legs and, after immense difficulty, manage to separate them. "Thanks for nothing," he muttered under his breath.

Pidge laughed, despite herself. Her face splitting into a grin as she did so. A moment passed and then Keith was laughing with her. Lance stood to his feet, face aflamed, and stomped back inside.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again, he told himself. He wouldn't go out to the tower tonight. He would stay locked up in his room where nobody could find him tangled up in Keith.

It was pathetically comical, Lance knew, the way they had woken. His heart had been tangled up in Keith like that for a long, long time. But to physically be wrapped around him? As if it were a visual representation of how he had always felt? It was sad and it made him feel very… exposed. It had clearly been nothing other than an accident to Keith and while it _was_ an accident, it was also close to revealing his deepest secret.

He and Keith had been getting close, sure, but he wasn't sure they would ever be close enough for Lance to admit that he….

Admit that his feelings for Keith…

A knock sounded on his door moments before the door opened, revealing Keith in sweatpants and a tshirt. Lance swallowed.

"You didn't come," Keith said, crossing the threshold. The door closed behind him. It sounded almost like an accusation as he repeated himself. "You didn't come."

"To the tower?" Lance knew what Keith was talking about but was delaying while he tried to get his thundering heart back under control.

"I waited for you."

"I'm sorry, I-" Lance stuttered, his words getting tangled on his tongue. He was trying to think of something to say but all that was coming to mind was his train of thought from before and he was absolutely _not_ going to say any of that out loud.

Keith didn't wait for Lance to say anything else. He crossed the room in a few quick strides, and took a seat next to Lance on the bed. Lance was frozen in what could only be described as a mixture of excitement and fear.

"Lance," Keith breathed his name in that stupid way he did. The way that always made Lance's heart take off. "I need to tell you something."

"So tell me. You can tell me anything."

"I-" Keith wavered and took a shaky breath. His uncertainty spread over to Lance who felt like his nerves were on fire. His heart was thundering in his chest and he felt like he was going to vomit while he waited quietly for Keith to say whatever it was. "I love you, Lance,". Lance's heart stopped beating. "And I don't think I can sleep without you by my side." Was he still breathing? "And whatever happens next, I want-I want us to make sure we face it together. Because we _do_ make a great team and I've spent enough time away from you already. I don't want to do it again."

Lance was sure his life had ended. He was absolutely certain that this was a dream, or a trick. Or… something other than reality. He wasn't sure what, but it couldn't be really happening. He had dreamt of meaning this much to Keith for… well, a long time. Time was weird and Lance could barely keep track of it but he knew with absolute certainty that he had dreamed of this moment at least a million times.

"What about Acxa?"

"Acxa?" Keith echoed, obviously surprised that this was Lance's response to a love confession. "What about her? Do you think I-?" Lance nodded the tiniest nod, afraid to move. Afraid that anything could shatter this illusion. Keith laughed. "I've spoken to her like, three times? I don't even know her!"

"So…" Lance swallowed against the lump forming in his throat. He could feel the hope swelling through his chest and tried to keep it from taking over. "You mean it? You… love me?"

"I love you," Keith repeated in a way that was both unsure and brutally honest. It was raw and genuine and it tore Lance's heart open with sheer happiness.

"Keith," He let out a breath and grabbed Keith's face, pulling him in for a kiss. It was true that he had originally liked Allura. But the more time he spent with Voltron, the more he realized that Allura didn't understand him like Keith did. Allura wouldn't pick him above all else and Keith would. Keith seemed to complete Lance in a way he didn't know he could be completed. A puzzle piece who's rough edges lined up perfectly with his own. Separately, they were each disasters. But together? Together they could accomplish anything.

They laughed together, they fought together and, at the end of the day, they still sought each other out. They had been apart and they had fought and still, through it all, they found each other.

"Keith," Lance breathed again as he pulled away. Keith's face was split open with a smile Lance had never seen before and his eyes were watery.

"I honestly wasn't sure how you would react to that," Keith whispered to the space between them.

"Are you kidding?" Lance leaned in and kissed him again, pulling his lips away but leaning their foreheads against each other. "I've loved you for a long time,"

"Yeah?" Keith touched Lance's cheek. "I bet I've loved you for longer."

Lance laughed then, closing his eyes against the feeling of Keith's fingers on his cheek. There were tears in his own eyes, too, but he wasn't going to cry. They had been through so much together, this was inevitable. And yet, somehow, it still felt like the ultimate bliss.

"Stay," Lance said and Keith nodded.

They stood and rearranged themselves until they were laying together in Lance's bed, fingers intertwined, facing each other.

They laid in a silent bliss for a long time, both drifting off to sleep. Right before the darkness overtook him, Lance whispered to the darkness. "Keith? As long as we're being honest… I do remember the bonding moment."

Keith laughed and pressed a kiss against Lance's forehead. "I knew you were a fucking liar," Was the last thing Lance heard as he drifted off to sleep. It was the first of very, very many night of wonderful, undisturbed sleeps and mornings waking up to the person he loved most in the whole universe.


End file.
